CH103: Persecution and Heresy

Foundations for the Christian Life · Feb 2, 2026 · 32m

How the growing church survived attacks from without and within. A detailed examination of early church history, specifically focusing on the era of imperial persecution and the emergence of theological controversies between AD 64 and 420. The records trace the transition from intense state-led oppression under emperors like Decius and Diocletian to the eventual legalization of the faith under Constantine. Central to the narrative are the efforts of early apologists and theologians, such as Origen, Tertullian, and Athanasius, who defended core doctrines against internal heresies like Arianism…